Blackened Tilapia

There are a lot of ways you can go with this blackened tilapia depending on your mood, Mexican, Indian, Asian, Cajun, or in this case, Spanish.  I love the El Rey de la Vera brand of both sweet and hot smoked paprika, it’s the real deal.  And if you can buy it in East Warren, Vermont, I'm sure you can find it all over.  You may have to adjust for the amount of fish you’re preparing but one teaspoon of salt, a half teaspoon of hot, and two teaspoons of sweet paprika should take care of the family dinner.  If you don’t like your food spicy just go heavier with the sweet.  Spread the spice mixture evenly over both sides of your fillets and when your heaviest Teflon pan is super hot cook the fillets approximately five minutes on each side.  They should be good and black and cooked through.  There are no rules for this one so have fun playing around with your spices.  For Mexican try some cumin and chili powder.  Break out the Garam Masala for an Indian twist, or the Five Spice Powder for something Asian…all with salt.  Blackening isn’t just a Cajun thing.

Red Clam Sauce



This dish may be a lot quicker and easier than you would think, and if you use fresh clams it’s sure to become one of your go to favorites.  While bringing your pasta water to a boil finely chop a medium shallot and a clove or two of garlic.  Heat some olive oil in a pot and sauté both along with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.  Before the shallots and garlic begin to brown add a half a cup of dry white wine if you happen to have a bottle open and reduce on medium heat for several minutes followed by a cup of clam juice.  If you’re not using wine then just use a cup and a half of clam juice, I prefer either the Better than Bullion concentrate or a couple of bottles of the Snow’s clam juice.  Next comes the Marinara sauce, 8 to 12 ounces of your favorite brand is all it takes….and the Rao’s is worth the extra couple of bucks.  When your linguine or spaghetti is nearly ready to drain add a quart of fresh chopped clams and a tablespoon of chopped Italian parsley to your sauce making sure the heat is fairly low so as not to let the clams get rubbery.  Once drained let the noodles bathe in the sauce for a few minutes, stir in some grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with some more parmesan over the top.  Bread is definitely required.

Parsnip "Fettuccine"

Here’s a great twist on parsnips , “Parsnip Fettuccine.”   To start, get some salted water on the stove for blanching and wash your parsnips thoroughly.   Next, hold the top of each parsnip and run a vegetable peeler from one end to the other to create a long ribbon.  Turn and repeat until you’re down to the tough woody core which you can compost or snack on if you’re looking for a quick fiber fix.   Place the parsnip ribbons in the simmering water for 45 seconds, drain into a colander, and rinse with cold water.  Before serving make sure your ribbons are fairly dry, patting with a towel if necessary, then simply toss with extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, parsley, and kosher salt.  I’ve also sautéed the ribbons with garlic and thyme instead of blanching, carrots work too.  Try it soon, won’t be long before we have some fresh greens to work with.

Tuna Sashimi

I’ve never attempted to make sushi, too many components to get just right.  But sashimi, that’s another story…as long as you have super fresh fish.  Last Friday I picked up some sushi grade tuna, and while the price per pound sounds like a lot it doesn’t take much to serve up a perfect little appetizer.  This time around I stirred together just enough soy sauce, ginger, and rice vinegar to create a small puddle of sauce on the plate, you don’t want to overwhelm the tuna.  I then topped each piece with the thinnest slice of fresh jalapeno I could manage for the perfect amount of zip.  You could keep it even cleaner and serve simply with your best extra virgin olive oil and dash of coarse salt, or try salmon instead of tuna.  Anyway you do it it’s a real treat. 

Put An Egg On It

Over easy, poached, or sunnyside up, putting an egg on it elevates so many dishes to new levels of satisfaction.  Remember that Sunday morning bacon cheeseburger with sautéed onions and an over medium egg back in college?  Try an over easy egg on a warm mushroom or spinach salad, or smothering a mound of leftover pasta.  How about a couple of poached eggs cradled in a pile of corn beef hash or spicy polenta.  Take your spaghetti carbonara to new levels of decadence with a sunny side egg, or lay one over a grilled steak or chicken breast.  Rice and beans, steamed asparagus, potato soup, pancakes, schnitzel, a lentil salad, or smoked salmon, there’s no end to it….go ahead, put an egg on it.  You won’t be sorry.

Lamb Shanks with Olives and Oranges

Everyone seems to have lamb on the brain this time of year and these braised lamb shanks will definitely please.  While preheating your oven to 375 salt and pepper four to six shanks and brown in a Dutch oven or roasting pan on the stove for about fifteen minutes, turning occasionally.  Set the shanks aside and add a chopped onion, carrot, a couple celery stalks, a whole orange sliced in half then into eights, and 12-15 peeled garlic cloves.  Sauté for 10 minutes.  Add a couple sprigs of chopped fresh rosemary and a cup each of black Greek olives, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and white wine if you have a bottle open otherwise just double up on the stock, then bring to a boil.  Put the shanks back in then cover tightly and cook in the oven for an hour and a half or until the lamb is tender.  Amazing family dinner and also a great dish if you’re entertaining as you can keep it on hold in the oven on low heat until you’re ready to serve.

Warm Spicy Tofu

This is one of the quickest, easiest, and tastiest ways I’ve discovered to prepare tofu...all it takes is simmering water.  Start by taking your extra firm tofu out of the package and stand it up on a plate to allow the water to drain out.  Meanwhile, fill a wide pot or sauté pan with a couple inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer.  For the sauce finely chop two garlic cloves, half a bunch of scallions, and mix in a bowl with a half cup of soy sauce, a few tablespoons of rice vinegar, a tablespoon of sesame oil, a handful of sesame seeds, a teaspoon of sugar, and some red pepper flakes or a generous dollop or two of your favorite hot sauce.  The sauce can even be made a day or two ahead of time.  Ten minutes before serving cut your tofu block in half, then into quarter inch slices before sliding them into the hot water.  After five minutes drain thoroughly then toss them gently with the sauce and serve with rice.

Warm Mozzarella

About a year ago I was buying a fresh ball of mozzarella in New York City before getting into my car to head back to Vermont.  The Italian man behind the counter who told me he had been making mozzarella for over fifty years gave me a tip.  While still wrapped, he said, put the mozzarella into a bowl of very warm water for 45 minutes before serving, maybe change the water a couple of times to keep it warm.  Did he ever know what he was talking about.  The warm bath literally brings the cheese back to the moment of its peak freshness, so soft, so perfectly chewy, and oozing all of its creamy nectars.  Go get yourself a ball of fresh mozzarella and you’ll see what I’m talking about.  Serve it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and fresh chopped basil…or just the oil and salt.  Incredible!

Tostadas

Pretty much anything tastes better when you put it on a fried corn tortilla, and with a bit of salsa and melted cheese you can’t lose.  Heat up an eighth of an inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan, slide in a whole corn tortilla, give it a minute, flip, and when slightly brown remove and drain on a paper bag.  Last night I created tostada magic from leftovers with some thinly sliced pork, caramelized onions, chopped basil, salsa verde, and a slice of mozzarella by stacking them in that order on a cookie sheet and reheating until the meat was warm and the cheese melted.  You don’t have to get that fancy, the tortillas are just as good topped with your favorite salad, scrambled eggs, sliced sweet potato, or can of beans….but that pork combo was pretty amazing!

Dijon Crusted Salmon

This surprisingly simple Dijon crusted salmon can be on the table in less than fifteen minutes.  Coat the bottom of a nonstick fry pan with oil and put over medium heat.  Cut your salmon filet into single size portions, sprinkle with more pepper than salt, dust with flour, and set on a plate skin side up.  Dollop a tablespoon of Dijon mustard onto each piece and spread evenly with a rubber spatula before placing the fillets into the hot frying pan mustard side down…tongs works best.  After five or so minutes spread the mustard the same way on the exposed side, flip, and in another five minutes remove and serve.  Add some minced garlic to the mustard for even more flavor.

Crispy Potato Slices

These crispy baked potatoes slices with a creamy center are embarrassingly simple but once you give them a try I’m certain they will become a go to favorite.  I’ve been making them for years but they got even better when I started using parchment paper a while back, I recommend it.  Preheat the oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with some parchment paper.  Wash your russets or other baking potatoes and cut them crosswise into quarter inch slices.  After tossing in a bowl with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper and lay them out side by side on the parchment.  Bake for twenty minutes, remove and flip, then bake for another twenty or until they start to brown.  It helps to rotate the cookie sheet after flipping so they brown more evenly.  Serve immediately with an extra dash of kosher salt if needed.

 

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

My favorite pasta dish without a doubt is Spaghetti alla Carbonara, and it couldn’t be any faster or easier.  Start by cutting two quarter inch slices of pancetta into little chunks and cook along with a couple of whole squashed garlic cloves until lightly browned, turn off heat and leave the pan to cool slightly.  While your spaghetti is cooking combine three egg yolks, two cups of parmesan cheese, and a generous grind of black pepper in a large bowl.  Next, drain your spaghetti making sure to reserve about three quarters of a cup of the water.  Quickly stir the noodles into the pan with the pancetta then transfer all into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture.  While tossing pour the pasta water in slowly to create a creamy sauce…salt and additional black pepper to taste.  The best way to visit Rome without getting on a plane.